


Four Ways to Say I Love You (And How Granger Learned All of Them)

by Cheol_Apple



Category: Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (Video Game)
Genre: Light Angst, M/M, Romance, crossposted on ig
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-18
Updated: 2020-08-18
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:00:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25972519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cheol_Apple/pseuds/Cheol_Apple
Summary: He needed to practice saying it more often, anyways.
Relationships: Alucard & Granger (Mobile Legends: Bang Bang)
Kudos: 18





	Four Ways to Say I Love You (And How Granger Learned All of Them)

**Author's Note:**

> the fic was inspired by one of @rinkkie's fanart on ig, thanks for allowing me to write something about it~

-

Awkwardly

-

The first time Granger said it, it wasn't that he didn't mean to, more that he wasn't expecting to say it in the first place. Looking back, though, he thinks he should've known better, Harith had always been very clingy and affectionate. He suspects it's because the Leonin doesn't have a lot of family left.

Alucard was off on a mission and there were only the two of them left in the shared house. Granger knew Alucard loved to tuck Harith into bed at night—he just didn't expect Harith to want the same treatment from him.

"Granger, I love you..."

It was so earnest, so simple, the way a child's words usually were, and they took Granger aback. He loved Harith too—how could he not, the kid was a beacon of sunshine you couldn't help but gravitate towards. Still, the words were hard for someone like him.

"I-I love you too..."

By the time he said it, though, Harith was already nodding off to sleep, and Granger chuckled, standing up from beside the bed. "Sleep well, kid."

He really had to practice saying that more often.

-

Angrily

-

"I said, retreat," Granger grumbled, as he dragged Alucard away from their last mission. It had been successful—sort of. They managed to kill whatever ungodly creature they had to kill, but gods, at what cost? Alucard's coat was stained red, his silver gauntlet tainted with blood, the chiseled face even more so. And the idiot still had the gall to grin. Like it was some sort of game.

"I could've taken them all," The fighter protested even further, even as his knees buckled and he almost took Granger down with him.

"Taken them what? Dancing? Stop kidding yourself, you could've died!" Granger pulled him up harshly, but the instant he heard Alucard's strained whimper, his hold also softened. "If you die on me—“

"Yeah, if I die, what's it to you?" Alucard spat—or maybe it was just a normal statement, and the blood that spilled out of his lips were just from the injuries. "Am I not just your partner that always makes irresponsible and idiotic choices that gets us into trouble whatever he does?"

"What the—of course not!"

"J-just checking," Alucard's smile widened, small dots of blood blot the corners of his lips as he did so. Granger felt the strangest desire to wipe them off before tamping it down as firmly as possible. "For a second there I thought you hated me."

"Please, shut up."

"So you do hate me."

"Alucard—“

"Granger, do you hate me?"

"I love you, you ridiculously bumbling idiot, so if you could just help me get you to Rafaela so you could live, that would be nice!" Granger snapped, before he even realized what he said. His eyes widened, his mind stumbled, miraculously his body still kept on walking despite the overwhelming urge to fall down to the ground and cringe. What in the world did he just say? Why did he say that? What just possessed him to do that, after so many years of keeping it to himself, why now—

He doesn't even know if Alucard loves him back.

The swordsman in question just fell silent after that, and Granger didn't know if he felt grateful that Alucard had finally shut up, or heartbroken that he didn't even reply. Every step, every motion afterwards felt robotic, stiff—stumbling into Rafaela's chambers, setting Alucard down for the angel to heal, heading home to rest. A part of him had snuck within Alucard, left there to fester, unsure what the demon hunter will do with it. For the first time in years, Granger finally felt afraid.

Alucard didn't wake up for three days, and it felt like Granger's heart didn't, too.

But he was there when, on the sixth day, Alucard's fingertips trembled, and his eyes fluttered open, blue as the sky—

"I love you, too."

—and suddenly, Granger could breathe again.

-

While crying

-

"He... He said he could take them..." Harith said, numbly, and he was swaying. Or maybe Granger was swaying, he can't tell. Not much was clear, save for the bedraggled body in front of him.

Alucard. Idiotic, brave, heroic, stupendously selfless Alucard. His eyes were wide open, staring up at the sky. Then they flit downwards, glancing everywhere and nowhere—“Granger—where—"

His limbs, his brain, his very soul didn't want to move, wanted to stay still as though by doing so, they could ignore this tragedy, yet his voice found its way. "Alu—I'm right here, d-don't say anything—“

"I really took them down this time, I swear," His voice was ghostly, lilting. Beautiful. Why was Granger only noticing that now? It's so unfair, he knew Alucard with every fiber of his being, and yet he also didn't know him, a mystery that was all his to keep, to solve, to love, that fate was now taking away—as though Alucard's life was just some toy—some borrowed trinket—

"O-of course you did," His eyes squeezed shut for a painful second, it was futile, the tears made themselves known anyway, and when he opened them his vision was blurry, the tears fell down onto their intertwined hands. "You did great."

"Okay." Alucard laughed, and blood spilled out of his lips again, Granger was instantly transported back to the last time he saw Alucard like this, what would he do, just to go back to that time, when things weren't so dire, they didn't need to be—no, stay here, stay in this moment, he couldn't afford to leave Alucard right now—

"You don't hate me?"

"No, never, Alucard, I love you, please, we all do—“

"Yeah, but do you love, _love_ me?"

"Yes, yes I do, I love you, so so much, please, Alu, just don't leave me—“

"J-just checking," The corners of Alucards lips turned up into the tiniest smile. "I love you too..."

Then the hand within Granger's hold grew weak, the fighter's body grew limp, those blue eyes became vacant, unseeing.

And for a moment, Granger was, too. Cursing the air he breathed for not keeping Alucard alive, swearing at fate for writing an ending so unfair, "I love you, I love you, please, come back, stay with me—"

—As though those three words were some spell that can bring back the dead.

But Granger was no mage.

And no matter how many times he practiced saying those words out loud, they would never be enough.

-

While smiling

-

It's been months, years, maybe.

Granger stopped counting ages ago. Maybe that would explain the sluggishness he felt both in muscle and soul, the readiness he felt now. It would definitely explain the calm within him as he finally fell, how Harith and Tigreal looked on and realized how much Granger wanted this, how little it would matter even if they managed to bring him back to Rafaela in time.

His gaze traveled to Harith's, sweet and innocent Leonin that he amazingly still was, and he only nodded, taking Granger's hand, the way the marksman did for Alucard...when was it? He couldn't remember.

And yet Alucard seemed to be calling out to him, at the very back of his mind, and what he did remember was thinking of how beautiful it sounded, only minutes before Alucard passed.

So this is what dying feels like. It doesn't seem so bad.

His eyes drifted to the blue sky, and it felt like Alucard was calling him home.

"I love you..."

At least he finally knew the way it should be said—willingly, selflessly, knowing that there would be no reply. Knowing that was okay, too.

A smile settled on Granger's lips, unbidden, and he greeted death with it.

**Author's Note:**

> Stay safe, everyone! Wash your hands always and practice social distancing!
> 
> comments and kudos are well-appreciated as always :)
> 
> (for updates and other stupid stuff follow me on ig [@cheol_apple](https://www.instagram.com/cheol_apple/) )


End file.
